Swedish Court Upholds Life Sentence Given to ex-Iranian Official

A courtroom sketch from shows Hamid Noury (l) and attorney Thomas Soderqvist during Noury's original war crime trial in Stockholm. AFP
A courtroom sketch from shows Hamid Noury (l) and attorney Thomas Soderqvist during Noury's original war crime trial in Stockholm. AFP
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Swedish Court Upholds Life Sentence Given to ex-Iranian Official

A courtroom sketch from shows Hamid Noury (l) and attorney Thomas Soderqvist during Noury's original war crime trial in Stockholm. AFP
A courtroom sketch from shows Hamid Noury (l) and attorney Thomas Soderqvist during Noury's original war crime trial in Stockholm. AFP

A Swedish appeals court has upheld a guilty verdict and life sentence given to a former Iranian official convicted last year for his part in a mass execution of political prisoners in Iran in 1988.

In 2022, the Stockholm District Court ruling found Hamid Noury guilty of murder and serious crimes against international law, drawing strong criticism from Iran, which said the verdict was politically motivated.

Court of Appeals Judge Robert Green said: “Our assessment is that the prosecutor's case is robust and compelling overall, and that the District Court was correct to find the prosecutor's charges largely substantiated.”

The 1988 executions were allegedly ordered by then Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini in retaliation for attacks by the opposition People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK), as well as other political dissidents.

Noury is the only person so far to face trial over the killings at the Gohardasht prison in Karaj.

The case has caused a deep rift between Sweden and Iran.
Earlier this month, an Iranian court opened the trial of a Swedish European Union employee arrested in 2022 while on holiday in the country.
Johan Floderus is charged with spying for Israel and "corruption on earth," a crime that carries the death penalty.

Sweden has requested his immediate release, calling the detention arbitrary.

Iranian-Swedish academic Ahmadreza Djalali, who was arrested in Iran in 2016, also faces execution on espionage charges.

Mark Klamberg, a professor of international law and senior non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council think tank, stressed that Tuesday's verdict would likely be appealed to Sweden's Supreme Court either way and any potential deal would need to await a final ruling.

Klamberg said a prisoner swap could be done two ways.

“The government could pardon Noury...But I don't think that will happen, it's politically impossible,” Klamberg told AFP.

More likely, provided Stockholm would want a swap, would be for Sweden and Iran to agree that Noury must serve the rest of his sentence in Iran – which in practice would likely mean that he would be a free man once he returned.

However, Klamberg noted that political considerations would then come into play.

For instance, agreeing could encourage Iran to continue with its policy of taking foreign citizens as hostages to use as bargaining chips, he said.

Klamberg said that for some victims it was important that Noury serve his sentence, while for others it may be just as important the Swedish court actually established in an authoritative manner what had happened in the 1980s, a judgment which is unique in itself.

“I think an important aspect for the Swedish government is how (a prisoner swap) would be received by the victims,” Klamberg said.

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom has declined to comment on the possibility of a prisoner swap.



Ukraine’s Zelenskiy Says There Is Now a Good Chance to End War

 Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to Ukrainian Muslim service members before sharing an iftar with them, a meal to break their fast at sunset, during the holy month of Ramadan, in a mosque in Kyiv, Ukraine March 13, 2025. (Reuters)
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to Ukrainian Muslim service members before sharing an iftar with them, a meal to break their fast at sunset, during the holy month of Ramadan, in a mosque in Kyiv, Ukraine March 13, 2025. (Reuters)
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Ukraine’s Zelenskiy Says There Is Now a Good Chance to End War

 Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to Ukrainian Muslim service members before sharing an iftar with them, a meal to break their fast at sunset, during the holy month of Ramadan, in a mosque in Kyiv, Ukraine March 13, 2025. (Reuters)
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to Ukrainian Muslim service members before sharing an iftar with them, a meal to break their fast at sunset, during the holy month of Ramadan, in a mosque in Kyiv, Ukraine March 13, 2025. (Reuters)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that he saw a good chance to end the war with Russia after Ukraine accepted a US proposal for a 30-day interim ceasefire and Moscow said it would only agree if certain conditions were met.

"Right now, we have a good chance to end this war quickly and secure peace. We have solid security understandings with our European partners," Zelenskiy said on X.

"We are now close to the first step in ending any war – silence," he said, referring to a truce.

Speaking to reporters, Zelenskiy urged the US and other allies to apply pressure on Moscow, reiterating his belief that Russian President Vladimir Putin will delay reaching a ceasefire as long as possible.

"If there is a strong response from the United States, they will not let them play around. And if there are steps that Russia is not afraid of, they will delay the process," Zelenskiy told media.

He said that the ceasefire along a more than 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) frontline could be controlled with US help via satellites and intelligence. Washington resumed intelligence sharing and military aid after US and Ukrainian officials met in Saudi Arabia this week and Ukraine accepted the ceasefire.

Zelenskiy also said that officials at that meeting discussed the issue of territory, but a difficult dialog would be required to resolve it.

"The issue of territories is the most difficult after the ceasefire," Zelenskiy said at a media briefing.

With the war is in its fourth year, Russian forces control nearly a fifth of Ukrainian territory and they have steadily advanced in the eastern Donetsk region in recent months.

"The ceasefire unblocks the way for the sides to end the war. And the territories ... will be the point that makes it possible to end the war after this issue is resolved," the Ukrainian president said.

Moscow has demanded that Kyiv permanently cede territory claimed by Russia including Crimea and four other regions, a position Ukraine has rejected.

Zelenskiy said he was discussing with Kyiv's allies future security guarantees and also economic support, adding that 100% air defense cover would be required as deterrence in a peace deal.